Spring into Action with Quick Response Firearms
Spring brings many amazing things…beautiful greenery, sunny skies, much needed rain, and the beginning of the season where we see a large influx of rock chucks. These creatures are officially known as the yellow-bellied marmot. To some, rock chucks are furry little critters, fun to look at as they’re running around the landscape popping in and out of various holes and craters. However, to most, they are varmints causing destruction and hazards to our landscape. You may be asking yourself, ”How could something so furry and small be considered varmints?”
Issues presented by Rock chucks
Rock chucks are notorious for causing property damage. This property damage often consists of damaging home and shop foundations by causing the foundations to split and crack due to incessant burrowing and weakening the ground under said foundation. Have you ever been driving around and – BANG! – you hit one of the famous Southern Idaho potholes? Contrary to popular belief, potholes are not just caused by weather. They are often caused by the burrowing of these varmints…yes, even under paved roads. Another notorious problem caused by these varmints is their chewing through electrical lines, both in vehicles and in buildings. Imagine trying to go out on an adventure on a nice spring day and – CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! – your car won’t start because a rock chuck chewed your cable!
Our beautiful community survives on agriculture such as farming, dairies, and much more. When it comes to our agricultural landscape, these varmints are not just coexisting. They present a substantial problem and the loss of much product, profit, and yield because rock chucks consistently destroy crops and often cause livestock to become injured due to the holes that these pesky varmints burrow. With farmers and other agricultural individuals, spring is both a time of fresh hopes and grim reality that the varmints are coming again to make things more difficult.
Have you ever heard of the Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever? It is not as beautiful as it sounds. This rapidly progressive disease can be fatal to humans, and these varmints are often carriers of this awful sickness.
Pest Control
So what is a varmint anyhow? Does that word bring up images of Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner? How could anything like that be so negative? The definition of a varmint is an animal considered to be a pest, typically a small mammal, that causes damage to crops, livestock, or property. Sound familiar? When dealing with pests around the household, including things like ants, wasps, or even box beetles, every prepared Idahoan has a plan. Sometimes this plan includes anything from deterrents to traps to poisons. You might be surprised to hear that the most common – and humane – solution to these varmints is ten cents worth of copper and lead. Obviously, you do need to make sure that your plan is appropriate for where you live according to the regulations of your neighborhood, city limits, etc. I do have to say that my wife is a very soft-hearted individual. She loves all animals, and the uglier the better. Because of this, the thought of doing anything other than deterring and trapping these things makes her sad. If you are like her, there are still options, and we at Quick Response Firearms would be happy to chat with you about that and get you hooked up with someone who can help you with your home goals.
The rock chuck season where we see the most of these running around is from late March through June. A good rimfire rifle with a nice scope and even a suppressor to keep the volume down is the go-to pest control for most Southern Idahoans. As always, here at Quick Response Firearms, we are HUGE advocates for safety and responsibility. It is vital that you understand the safety parameters and legalities before considering this method.
For any questions you may have regarding this, come see us in the shop, and we will have answers for you or be able to point you in the direction to get you more specialized answers.
